Bandages and Shallow Kisses
by Greaser Heart
Summary: Mei is a young woman without a family, she's a freak, and a rebel without a cause. She's had past dealings with the Shredder that she'd much rather forget. She stumbles across an alley fight one night and is injured. Thankfully, she's saved by four young men - rather, teenage turtles. She has now found a home and maybe love with a certain blue clad ninja.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! This is my first fanfiction so I'm still a bit new to this whole deal. Please leave **CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM.** I will greatly appreciate that, but please, refrain from negative comments. Help me out to fix the problem, not complain about it with no feedback. I'm super excited to submit my first ever story and I hope it turns out very well! Thank you all so much! God bless!

Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or its affiliates. I also do not own Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. I only own Mei and her back story.

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My head is swimming as I wake up from my daze. My eyes begin to flutter and I know, once I take a look at the ceiling above me, I am not, as Dorothy would say, in Kansas anymore. My hand reaches up to lightly touch my forehead, only to feel a thin bandage and a slight damp spot. If I had hit my head, it's probably blood from the blow. I can faintly hear conversation around me as I slowly gain consciousness.

` "Is she going to be all right," a voice close by asks.

"She should be. We'll only know once she wakes up, but be very careful when she does. We still don't know how she'll react to us. You know what happened the last couple of times we did this," another voice chimes in.

"Yeah, but April and Casey turned out to be great friends, Don. And besides, you saw as much as we did what she can do. She's like us. I'm pretty sure we can trust her," the first voice replies.

I easily try to sit up, but, as a soft groan escapes my lips, I fall back against the soft fabric of the couch. Several padded footsteps begin to head towards me. The next thing I know, I have three green fingers examining my wound, checking to see that the bleeding hadn't started back up. I look up into amber eyes, masked by a purple bandana. A green face surrounds the mask, smooth reptilian skin. The edge of a bo-staff sticks out from behind his shell. I get a tiny glimpse of a darker shade of purple wrapped around the middle of the staff. Two other turtle like creatures come around the back of the couch and a fourth crouches down by my right.

The first, around the back, closest to me, has dark amber eyes, a red mask around them. His skin is a darker green, similar to the color of dark pine needles. Near his abdomen lay twin shafts wrapped in rusty red ribbon. The glint of the silver prongs of his sais sparkle against the overhead light.

The turtle closest to the end has beautiful baby blue eyes, an orange mask around them. His skin is a soft, gentle tone of green, almost like new leaves on a flower stem. Light brown freckles speckle his cheeks right under his eyes. Around his waist lie two pairs of nun chucks, orange ribbon wrapped around each middle.

The turtle to my right, crouching down beside my legs, has light chocolate eyes with a dark hue in the center, a mask of a deep shade of blue around them. His skin tone is a light rusty green. A light brown strap hands from around his back to his right shoulder and around his torso holding his twin katanas, dark blue ribbon decorating the shafts.

Each one has a dark brownish green shell and a pale tan plastron covering their chests and sides. They all look extremely healthy and fit, the well-defined muscles giving a great deal of an idea of their strength.

"How're you feeling," a voice says breaking through my observations and thoughts. It was the second voice of the conversation I had heard earlier. I look up to see it was the voice of the purple masked turtle. I'm guessing his name is Don.

"Um, I'm fine, I guess," I say. "Where am I?"

"Our home," the blue clad turtle explains. "After seeing you get hurt in that fight, we couldn't leave you out there." His voice is full of confidence and authority, an air about him I feel he keeps at all times.

"Okay. So, who are you guys," I ask.

"I'm Leonardo. These are my brothers," the blue masked turtle replies again.

"Donatello." The purple.

"Raphael." The red.

"Michaelangelo, at your service, ma'am." The orange. He gives a bow towards me with a very cheeky grin on his face. I give a small laugh at his happy-go-lucky attitude.

"What's your name," Leonardo asks me.

"Yimei, or Mei for short," I reply.

"Yimei. Means beautiful rose in Japanese." Donatello informs the others.

"Right. So, who's oldest to youngest here?"

"I'm the eldest," Leonardo chimes in. "Raph is after me, Donnie, then Mikey."

"My sons, do not discourage our visitor. She needs rest."

A rat like creature emerges from behind us, a dark brown and black tunic covering his body. His fur ranges from shades of brown to white. He seems to be a very knowledgeable creature by the way that he speaks. His eyes are a light shade of brown with a touch of a golden hue.

"Sorry, Master Splinter," Leonardo says. "We were just making sure she was okay."

"Yes, but an injured mind must heal as well as an injured body. She needs time so that she may take in all of what we are."

"Yes, sensei."

"Come, my sons. Please miss, get some much needed rest then we shall explain more to you."

"I'll stay in here and keep an eye on her," Donatello says. "I've got work to do anyway."

"Very well, Donatello. Leonardo, Raphael, Michaelangelo, training in the dojo."

"Yes sir," they all say, then get up and follow Splinter into the farther back part of this place where the dojo must reside. As he walks away, Leonardo, for a moment, looks back over his shoulder, meeting my eyes, then, seconds later, pulls away and continues on to the dojo.

I'm a little upset to see them to have to go. It was kind of interesting to meet those like myself. I shiver slightly as reptilian sin touches my forehead, examining it once more.

"The bleeding seems to have stopped, but you have a slight concussion, so you need to rest. Just take it easy for a while," Donatello says.

"Thank you for taking care of me, Donatello," I reply.

"Don't mention it. It's the least we could do after you helped us. And please, call me Donnie."

"Okay. So, how long have you guys been here? And I know this is your home, but where exactly is here?"

"We've been here all of our lives, so about eighteen years. And we're in a farther back part of the sewers."

"Wow. I never thought the sewers could look so homely," I say.

"Well, you learn to love it."

I'm taken aback by Donnie's reply. I know what it's like to have nowhere else to go, no one else to turn to when everything else around me seemed to slip right through my fingers. My mind lingers to the thought of the scars on my back, the thought of my family before _he_ had ruined everything in life. If life as a mutated human is difficult, I can only imagine life as a mutated turtle.

"Um, you okay," Donnie asks. I'm broken from my thoughts by the concern in his voice. I look up to find soft eyes meeting mine, questioning if I'm alright.

With a small grin, I reply, "I'm fine. Just thinking, is all."

"About what?"

"Uh, nothing much," I say, trying to brush it off. I don't want to get into this conversation yet. It's already bad enough I had almost brought it up.

"Okay, well, get some sleep. We'll talk more when you wake up," Donnie states.

"Okay. Thank you again," I say, drowsily, then pull the blanket up closer and let my mind drift to sleep.

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First chapter up and done! I've hoped you enjoyed it! Can't wait for the reviews.


	2. Chapter 2

A week has gone by, and I'm as fit as ever. Three days after I had been brought here, I could finally start training with the turtles. They were all a little surprised at how good I was with my sais and katanas, Leo especially, since I'd never really had a long term teacher. Speaking of the boys, I've gotten to know them very well through the week I've been here.

Leonardo is the leader of the group. He's headstrong and confident about his abilities, but a small sense of arrogance lies within those aspects of himself. He cares for and loves his brothers more than anything and would even give his life to protect them. He trains as much as he can and even wakes up early enough to get a head start on practice.

I had noticed a part of his shell where it had been shorn closest to his left shoulder. I had wondered about what happened, even pondered on asking him about it, but thought against it as I was reminded of my own scars.

Leo, I'm beginning to consider as more of a friend than a brother. I'm not sure why, but, during this week, I've felt feelings towards him…never mind…moving on…

Raphael is the hot head of the group. His temper can get the best of him, though he'll rarely let anyone see the soft side inside of him I know he's hiding. Raph is more of the back watcher of the group, the one who makes sure his brothers are safe and likes to talk more with his fists than with words. In the week I've been here, he's already gotten into it a few times with Leo. Their personalities are almost like oil and water and don't go down easy when mixed. But, although the two of them clash sometimes, sorry, most of the time, they'll always have each other's backs.

Donatello is the brains of the group. Don can take just about anything apart and put it back together into something completely new. You could give him the most complicated, elaborate equation _in binary code_ and he could give you an answer within the hour.

Don's the closest with Mikey. They're always doing some kind of crazy thing together, or Mikey's just annoying the crap out of Don as he tries to work. I don't think – no, I'm positive they've never really duked it out like Leo and Raph, despite how the two can sometimes act and react around one another.

Michaelangelo is the baby brother of the group. He loves to just be a kid above all. But don't let that ever fool you. Even though he's a kid at heart, he's still great at ninjitsu. Mikey kind of talks like one of those old surfer guys your parents used to watch on TV, though it kind of cracks me up. When Mike's not training, he's either skateboarding, playing video games, or just hanging out with his bros, if they'll let him. He lives life to the fullest and always sees the best out of every situation. And, trust me, if Mike's pessimistic about something, you _know_ it's bad.

Right now, since I've just started out with the team, we're going topside for some air. Besides, I've got to get a few things before I move in. The day my concussion had worn off and Don had said I was free to move around, Leo had suggested I stayed with them for a while. I had told them I had nowhere else to go when they had asked, so Leo had brought it up. I didn't want to impose, though that had been what I was doing while I was recovering, but decided the prospect of brothers wouldn't be a bad idea. I had already come to love all four – excuse me – all five of them, counting Master Splinter of course.

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop brought back memories, both good and bad. Good: nights where the breeze set across the city just right, the stars hanging over head, twinkling as if saying hello, and the moon pouring its rays over the nighttime activity of New York. Bad: being ambushed by ninjas bent on destroying everything I held dear, the sounds of screams coming from not so far away, and the encounter of an unknown foe as it steps out of the shadows of the darkness. Again, my mind mentally trace the scars that parallel my spine on either side.

Tonight was one of those good nights, my subconscious hoping it wouldn't turn into a bad.

After a little while, we find a nice rooftop that gives off a great view of the city. We sit on the edge, mine, Leo's, Don's, and Mike's legs dangling off, Raph standing behind us as we take in the beautiful view. I didn't say he was the back watcher for the heck of it.

"So, did you ever live anywhere before with us," Leo asks.

"Um, I've lived a couple of places, though, you couldn't exactly call them home. I've lived in abandoned warehouse, old fair grounds, just about anywhere that gave shelter for where I was in the city that night."

"Well, did you ever have a family? People you stayed with?"

"Yeah. I had a family. A long time ago…"

A long silence passed between us. The cold recesses of my heart that held those painful memories hardened a little more as the memories began to return to my forethoughts, to flood the very part of me that had found some ounce of happiness with the turtles.

"Mei? Mei, I'm sorry. Whatever happened, I know it must have been hard. I just want you to know we're here for you."

I looked over into Leo's eyes as concern flooded them. I gently shook my head and gave him a small smile.

"It's okay, Leo. No biggie. And thank you."

"So, is there anything you like to do for fun," Mikey asks, breaking the tension growing between the group.

"Well, I like to draw. Spend a lot of my time doing that. I like to sing. Also, a lot of my time. I like to train. Same there. I mean, I love to train."

"Sounds like you'd fit right in with Leo," Raph snidely comments. Leo jabs his elbow in Raph's shin, getting a puzzled look from me and a string of lovely, muffled curses from Raphael. Leo gives me a look to continue with what I was going to say and I do.

"No, you don't understand, Raph. I mean, training gives me a sort of peace, a sort of relaxation that other things don't. When I'm upset or stressed is mostly when a train. I have to have some sort of relief from daily life. Leo, you train more for protection, and I'm not saying that I don't. I have, or rather had, nothing and no one to protect me except my own two hands and my own two feet. I need to train to be able to think more than I do to fight. I know it's confusing, but, do you understand?"

"Yeah, I do," Leo replies.

"We all do," Donnie intercepts, "and don't think we just do it for protection. It's a way for us to connect without words and it helps to understand one another. We don't just do this because it's fun. We also want to protect others. But yeah, it's fun."

I look up to Don and then to each of the boys, watching as they nod and agree with Donatello and then my eyes once again land on Leonardo.

We stare at each other a little longer than I wished, but, once I come back to my senses, I say, "Uh, well, we better be getting back home, guys. Master Splinter will be wondering where we are."

'Home.' That's a word that'll take some time getting used to.

They all agree, but, before we can start heading back, a scream pierces the silence and the sound of fighting sends us heading in that direction.

When we get there, a gang of Purple Dragons are destroying everything in their path. Fires start to break out among the houses, and there's little we can do to stop them.

We jump down between the houses and the gang members. "Hate to break up tell you, boys, but arson's illegal," Raph says, twirling his sais.

The biggest gang member turns to face us. A tall, burly, blonde headed man with a purple dragon tattoo down his left arm. I do not like the looks of this dude.

"Well, if it isn't the freaks. And look, they even brought…"

My mind snaps to recognition of this man. Hun. A growl escapes my throat, the growl of a girl bent on revenge. My mind flashes to images of Hun looming over me as I'm experiment on by the Shredder's men. Cruel words thrown at me, a hard hand leaving a welt on my cheek as I'm brought out of the bliss of unconsciousness.

"Well," Hun says, "it seems the turtles took in a stray. The dog finally seems to have found a home. What? Couldn't find a pound to go to?"

Another growl escapes my throat, but words from behind me stop me in my tracks.

"Leave her alone, Hun or deal with us," Raphael growls.

"I hope you ready for a butt-whooping, bros, cause this is gonna hurt," Mikey says as he twirls his nunchucks.

 _Why_ , I think. _Why do they care so much for me?_

My thoughts are pulled away as I hear them charge towards the towering man. I soon follow and find myself thrown into one of those bad nights. Punches, kicks, katas, and everything else is being thrown our way as the fight wages on between us and the gang.

Eventually, my katanas and sais have somehow left my hands and I'm left with only my abilities; abilities of so many animals put into one. My claws sharpen, becoming lethal, my eyes become keen to my surroundings, and a howl erupts from my throat that I can only wonder if that truly came from me. My skin turns to pigments and stripes of various animals. My muscles tighten like those of a tiger's and my shoulder blades ache as thin bone turns grow and form into eagle's wings. My human ears disappear and are replaced with sensitive, soft ones of a lynx. My teeth, lastly, shape themselves into long, deadly canine's that would put any wild dogs to shame.

I bare my claws and charge, attacking every Purple Dragon in my sight, until the only I'm faced with is Hun. The boys continue their fight, becoming bruised, battered, and burned. I know I have to get them away from this small war we've been drug into or I'll be reliving a nightmare. There's so much I still want to do with these guys. I want to play more videogames with Mikey, watch Donnie work on complicated equations and difficult scientific tasks, spar with Raphael, and, most of all, feel Leo's arms wrap around me. Maybe someday, dance with him, or…I will fulfill my promise to my parents. I will not. Let. It. End. Here!

My mind goes from zero to sixty in a second. I attack Hun once more then make my way over to the boys. I flare out my wings around me, then spin a couple of times, leaving a cloud of smoke, fire, and dust to allow us escape. I quickly pick up Raphael, drape his arm around my shoulder, hoist him up, grab my sais and katanas, then make sure the others are following closely behind. Once I'm sure, we dive into the nearest man hole and quickly close it back, making our way home.

The four of them fought bravely tonight, and, now, banged up, I can only sigh in submission to the guilt festering within my belly. I feel it my fault that they're hurt and I know that that self-accusation is true. I feel the burning, boiling sensation on my arm and know that I didn't get away unscathed. And with the aches and pains of every muscle in my body, I'm for certain. The small battle we've had won't be the last, but, at least, we used every ounce of strength and determination that we had, because, in this world, those are some of the only things that allow you to survive.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys. Sorry, I haven't updated in a couple of days. I've been either busy or a little lazy. It's been super rainy here and when it's like that, all you want to do it sleep. I hope those who have read the first two chapters have enjoyed. I have a couple of questions to answer from some reviews I've had so I'll take a sec to answer those now.**

 **To StarTraveler: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it so far. The TMNT universe that this fic is in isn't one definite universe. It has elements from all different TMNT series or storylines. For example, my description of the guys is based on the 2007 movie and Hun is mainly a part of the 2003 series. So, it's generally little elements from each series here and there.**

 **To Princess Bunny: I will do my best to further include what Mei looks like in coming up chapters. I'm usually good about keeping things consistent, but thank you for pointing that out for me. I would type a description here for you, but I don't want to take away from the story either. I will take up your suggestion to include Leo's point of view later on, but, unfortunately, the next few chapters I've already written so it'll probably have to be in a later chapter. And there are some things that require Mei's point of view to be told. But thank you so much for your help.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or its affiliates.**

 **On with the story!**

We're just now getting back into the lair, our bodies beaten to the very best of their limits. I hear a groan escape Raph's lips as I shift him a bit so I can better support his weight.

The burn on my arm and a bit of my side gives no aid to helping Raph, and as we walk closer to Donnie's lab to assess our injuries, the fire in my arm burns even more. The cuts on my arms and legs are minor, the burn being my only concern. Although, right now, my first and foremost concern is taking care of my family.

As we get to Don's lab, I gently lower Raph onto the cot closest to the door. Mikey sits Leo down on the cot opposite. Don and I discard the boys' weapons from them at the door so they don't get in the way.

"Hey, Mei. Do you have any medical knowledge," Don asks me as he walks in behind Mike.

"Yes, I do. I've had to learn the past few years."

"Okay, good. Could you tend to Raph and Leo while I tend to Mikey and myself?"

"Of course. And take it easy on yourself, Donatello."

"I know," he replies, though he gives me a smile to show his appreciation for the concern.

I start to work on Raph first, while Don tends to Mikey's injuries before his own. A burn runs down Raph's forearm stopping a little past his wrist and I know it'll soon blister, even with the right kind of burn treatment. Though, that is good, since it's a sign of healing but it still hurts like hell. Cuts intersect one another on his arms, legs, and around his shoulders. Scuff marks from weapons smear across his plastron and shell. I set my katanas and sais down, so I can work more thoroughly.

I tend to the burn first, taking a salve from Don's medical supplies, and lightly apply it to his arm. After I'm done, I take a soft rag from one of the cabinets, soak it in cool water, and lie it over his forearm to help cool it down. Raph sharply hisses as the material makes contact with his skin. I notice that his skin is warm apart from the burn, so I wet another rag and lie it across his forehead. Most of his cuts are small and shallow, so all that's needed is a light application of an anti-infection cream. There's only one cut near his collarbone that needs a small stitch and a bandage wrapped around it for a while to heal.

As I sew the cut up, I'm amazed at the delicate precision of my fingers, precision I had figured I only had when I draw. It had been so long since the last time I'd had to stitch someone up, I thought I'd forgotten how to do it. Guess it's like riding a bike.

Soon, the cut's closed and a bandage is applied, allowing Raph time to sleep.

"Get some rest, sweetheart. You've earned it," I tell him, lightly kissing his warm forehead.

"Thanks. You too," he slurs as sleep overtakes him. I pull a blanket over him, up to his shoulders, and move away to let him sleep.

I make my way over to Leo and assess his injuries before I start. A small burn coats his left shoulder near where his shell has been shorn. Similar to Raphael, cuts intersect on his arms, legs, and collarbone, though none are deep enough to require a suture. I follow the same procedure that I had with Raph, administering the burn and anti-infection creams.

When I'm done, Leo stirs a little and looks up at me with those beautiful chocolate eyes. Lately, I've been finding myself lost in those eyes. Can't exactly explain why. I shake the effect out of my head.

"Mei, you okay," he asks me, indicating mainly the burn on my arm.

"It's fine. It's just a bit of a burn, Leo. I can handle it. Really."

"No, you're not. Come on, let either Don or me look at your arm."

In the short time I've been here, I've learned one thing about Leo and Raph, if nothing else: they're both incredibly stubborn. The day anyone can get them to stop being is the day Mikey won't want to play videogames. It'll be a sad day.

I finally just give in, knowing that arguing with him won't do me any good.

It only takes Leo a few minutes to do all of the necessary procedures for tending to my arm, but he's gentle and thorough as he works. I have to slightly lift up my shirt on my burnt side to allow him to treat that too. It's not that hard to get to either, seeing how the shirt's charred and torn there.

Once he's done, he looks up at me. Words can't express the swell of emotions running through my mind. Caring. Gentleness. Protection. Guilt. And…no. Maybe a crush? I've only known him for a week, but it's like my heart can't discern that. Why is it beating so rapidly?

"Uh," I finally say, "you better get some sleep, Leo. You need your rest."

"You do too," he replies.

I nod, then make my way to the cot behind Raph's and beside the one where Don's tending to Mike and himself. I lay back and pull the closest blanket up over me. I turn to face the wall, and can only dream of chocolate eyes for the rest of the night.

 **Hope you guys enjoyed Chapter 3. Things are starting to get interesting between these two. Stick around to find out what happens next. Thanks again to all those who reviewed!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I seem to have nothing else to do this Memorial Day weekend, so I guess these chapters will be posted closely together. Now, I've never personally fallen in love, so I don't know how that sequence usually happens but I hope these two seem genuine, not just some kind of sappy, puppy dog love. I hope everyone enjoys!**

 **To StarTraveler: I personally like the 2003 series because it contained that dark aspect that I think every show should have if it's going to have proper character development. Such as when Leo's shell was shorn, he became more like Raphael than he was Leo. I agree that Casey is kind of a problem in that series, but the development between of all of the turtles and the things they go through is wonderful. I highly recommend the 2007 movie if just for the fact that Raph and Leo actually go head to head, weapons and all. It's a beautiful scene that perfectly encompasses the animosity between them coming to a boiling point.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or its affiliates.**

 **I hope you enjoy this next chapter everyone because things are about to get intense.**

A month has passed since our fight with Hun. Our injuries have healed except for small scars that still linger on our skin. The burn on my arm and side has dissipated and the blisters are gone except for tiny spots you have to look closely to see. A small burn scar will remain once it fully heals. The cut on Raph's collarbone is gone as well, but a small, very thin, and barely visible pale green line remains where a slightly thick cut once lay.

This morning, I woke up early to train. I barely got any sleep last night. Actually, I can't remember the last time I got a good night's sleep. Anxiety has riddled my thoughts since our fight and I've been pushing myself to do better in battle. I've trained harder, sparring more with Raphael, practicing more katas over and over again, and going for more late night rooftop excursions when my mind has denied me sleep.

As I silent walk to the center of the lair, I hear padded turtle feet below already going at practice. I get to the edge of the upstairs walkway and look down to see Leonardo training as usual. No surprise there.

I've still been antsy around Leo lately. Every time I'm around him, I can feel my heart palpitating within my chest. My hands start to shake slightly and my cheeks burn. I silently pray every time that he doesn't notice the fire burning there and that, if he does, I can quickly hide it from his gaze.

I fumble with my katana strap for only a moment, before realizing the unconscious gesture of nervousness and flip forward to land not ten feet away from where Leo is. He immediately notices my presence and stops the katas and routines he had been previously going through.

"Good morning, Mei," he says.

"Good morning, Leo," I reply as I steadily pad over to the kitchen for water before I begin.

After a moment, Leo asks me, "You up for some sparring?"

"Uh, sure," I say, and gently set the cold bottle of water down on the floor near the wall, then walk over about two or three feet in front of Leo.

His katanas are already unsheathed, so he readies himself into a fighting stance. I reciprocate the action after unsheathing my own pair of katanas.

We got at it for about ten minutes, neither one of use saying a word as we train. All my mind registers is the clank of metal against metal.

Slowly, though, images begin to ensnare my thoughts. My mind flashes back and forth between the present and the past. I see a flash of Leo with me in the lair, then a towering man with a sick grin looming over me, looking down as he readies a syringe. Back to Leo, then the feeling of white hot pain as two claws leave long, jagged torn cuts parallel on either side of my spine. Leo, dark shadows taunting me. Leo, a festering feeling of fear and dread. Leo, a cruel, maniacal laugh as a scream escapes my lips and fills the space around me. And then, in one swift motion, I'm back in the lair and my mind stays there. I've been, off and on, subconsciously fighting Leo the whole time, and now, as we've stopped, he gives me a pained and worried look. I must look frantic and terrified for him to give me a look like that.

"Mei, you okay," he asks me.

I hesitate for a moment, before I say, "I don't know. I really don't know."

My breathing has become unsteady and my heart's beating rapidly. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, causing my skin to feel cold.

"Mei? Mei? Do you want me to go get Donnie?"

"No!" That came out a little too fast. Now he really will suspect something. "I mean, uh, no. I'm fine, Leo. I just need to sit down is all."

As I walk over to the wall where my water bottle sits, I sheathe my katanas and feel the smooth metal slide into the straps on my back. I slowly sit down and try to steady my breathing as I lean my head back against the cool brick of the wall. The tails of white bandana around my forehead drape over my shoulders, so as to not get caught behind my back.

My mind feels like it's going at a hundred miles per hour. I'd thought that I'd blocked those memories away from my consciousness. I guess I was wrong.

Leo comes over by me and sits on my right side. He gazes at me with those beautiful chocolate eyes and I can't help but feel I owe him some sort of explanation. He deserves that much, doesn't he?

"Leo…" I can see his gaze soften on me and that assures me I have his attention. His eyes don't waver for a second, but stay trained on me. "I'm sorry for worrying you a minute ago. It's nothing, really. Don't worry too much about it, sweetheart."

I can see his body slight shift and then I hear a shallow sigh escape his lips before he speaks.

"Mei, you may say that nothing's wrong, but I know you're really hurting. What's bothering you? You can tell me. I promise, I won't judge you or think of you any differently once you tell me. You can trust me."

I look up into Leo's eyes then and can see he's telling me the truth. His eyes hold so much honesty and concern for my well-being. It's strange, this feeling of being protected and cared for. I've been estranged from those things since my parents disappeared. I don't know how to take in that someone actually cares for me. It's foreign and new, though I remember the feeling of once having it before now. Certainly not by a guy, but, at least, people that cared for me and loved…

There's that word again. That word that's been plaguing my thoughts, even if it was subconsciously, since I've been here. I knew I was attracted to Leo, and, trust me, being attracted to a turtle is not a normal thing. But, who ever said I was normal? I know, for a fact that within my body, there lies the nature of a turtle. I've been spending a month with four of them. Affections can grow from that. However, these affections are far different than what I feel for Don, Raph, or Mikey. I feel a whole new set of feelings for Leonardo. Feelings that I can't quite place and, yet, that I can't quite let go of either. I have no doubt I feel something stronger than brother – sister affection or just plain friendship. The question is: what do I feel for Leo?

I know Leo cares from me. That's not the problem with sharing my past with him. The problem about that is I don't want the same thing that happened to my family, happen to Leo, my brothers, or Master Splinter. I want to be able to lead as normal a life as I can with all five of them, but I don't want history to repeat itself. Or, at least, not my history. They don't deserve that as much as I didn't. But, in a way, my past is what brought me here, isn't it? What brought me to love the turtles as my own, to see Master Splinter as a second father, and to see Leo as so much more than a friend, a brother, or, even, an ally?

"Look, Leo. I can't explain that to you right now," I reluctantly decide in telling him.

"Why not," he asks gently.

"It's complicated. Please, let's just leave it at that. Please, Leo? It's just not something I want to talk about."

"Okay. But, please, remember, you can trust me no matter what it is that's bothering you. I promise. Now, come on. We still have a couple of hours before the guys wake up and I want to get some more sparring in before they do."

I hesitate. I don't want to have to relive those memories again. I don't want to have to see what I fear most.

"Um," I stammer, "I think I'm just going to sit this one out, Leo. I just want to rest right now."

"Come on. One more set of practice in. You did say that you train most when you're stressed or upset, right?"

I nod, reluctantly and hesitantly as I remember what I had told them on the rooftop a month ago. Great, that's what he's going to remember of the conversation.

I decide to get up and walk over to the center of the lair. I hope and pray that another episode won't be induced by training. I ready into my stance again once I've unsheathed my katanas. Leo does the same once he sees I'm ready.

We go through another set of exercises for another ten minutes. Once again, my mind switches back and forth between Leo and the images from before. I'm only pulled away from my flashbacks once I hear a cry of pain in the present time.

My eyes focus and I see Leo hunched over holding his wrist. I see thin rivulets of blood trickle between his fingers, and looking down at the katana in my right hand, I know I'm the cause.

I drop my katanas with a clang to the floor and run over to Leo. I can see the damage I've done through his fingers and feel my heart sink to my stomach.

"Leo! Oh my gosh! Leo? Are you okay?!"

He cracks open one eye to look up at me and says, "It's okay, Mei. Nothing but a scratch."

"No, Leo. This is my fault. I'm so sorry. We need to get this closed up. Where's one of Donnie's medical kits," I ask, inwardly yelling at myself for not insisting I didn't need to spar with him right now that my mind wasn't in the clearest of places.

"Over in the small cabinet near the fridge. Top left."

Leave it to Donnie to be that resourceful.

I rush over to the cabinet and grab the medical kit, then grab some water to help wash the wound.

I run back over to Leo, take out the thickest piece of gauze I can find, hurriedly moving Leo's hand from the wound, then press down as fast as I can, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

"I'm so sorry," I murmur, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you and I certainly didn't mean for it to be like this. Please forgive me."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Mei," I hear him say. My eyes flash up to meet his at his words. Did I just hear him right? Is he just brushing this aside like nothing happened?

He lets out a soft sigh and says again, "You have nothing to be sorry for. I knew that you weren't up for it, but I pushed you to train hoping it would help calm you down. You had said you train when you're stressed. I just thought I was helping is all. I'm the one that should be sorry."

I just stare at him, not knowing if I can fully grasp those words. He's saying sorry? I don't even know how to comprehend anything of what he's saying. What is with this guy?

I look down at Leo's wrist, at the damage that I've done. A lump forms in my throat, but refuse to let tears flow freely. I finish my work in applying an anti-infection solution, give it a small stitch, and, lastly, wrap a bandage around the now sealed cut.

I continue to stare down at the soft, clean bandage. I lightly trace the callouses, curves, and lines of Leo's hands. My thoughts are swimming around in my head, muddling together as I try desperately to sort them out. I don't know what to say next. So, I ask instead.

"Why, Leo?"

"Why – why what?"

"Why are you doing this?"

He's still confused and asks, "Doing what?'

"Being so kind to me. And don't say it's because I'm part of the family either. Why are you treating me with so much kindness, so much…care?"

For a moment, all that follows is silence and I wonder if he's thinking about how to answer the question or to turn away like others have before. But instead, I feel a reptilian finger gingerly touch under my chin and guide my head up. Soft lips meet mine and, for a moment, I'm shocked. Then, I slowly close my eyes and the kiss seems to send a ripple through my skin. I can feel the pigment in my skin change from my normal lightly tan color, something hard and rounded begins to protrude from my back, and something pulls from my chest and shapes to the form of my torso. I pull away from Leo for a moment and notice my new appearance. Well, my knowledge of there being a turtle inside of me certainly wasn't speculation. My skin is a light pigment of green and my brown hair falls softly over my shoulders. My fingers have gone from five on each hand to three.

I look at Leo and he seems to be just as pleased with my new appearance. He leans in for another kiss and it's just like to first, soft and sweet. It's exactly what a first kiss should be. It's not sloppy or a make-out session. It's slow, one where we don't even more, but can feel all of the emotions around us. It's just simple, yet so magical all at once and I'm here sharing it with Leonardo. Sweet, chocolate eyed, down to earth Leo…

We break apart once again and, I promise, a blush adorns both of our cheeks. I now know how true these feelings between us are. We both genuinely care for one another more than words can express. A simple, pure love, nothing more and nothing less.

I'm still trying to understand this love between the two of us, but until then, we'll just sort it out together. We lean into each other once more and it feels like we were made to fit each other. We broke apart again and I can't even remember how long we sat there just enjoying each other's company…

 **Well, there's the moment you've all been waiting for! I hope it was up to everyone's standards and I hope to goodness that it's not too mushy or OOC. I hope everyone has enjoyed so far and I can't wait to see what y'all think! Thanks and God bless!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm so sorry that it has been May since I updated last. I'm sorry to have left my readers in the dark and yearning for more. I've got two more chapters that have already been written that need to be posted so I will try to get those up now or in the next few hours. After that I'll need to write the next chapter and figure out where to go from there. I'll try to update on a regular basis. Thank you for being patient with me and continuing to read. As always, please review and tell me what you think!**

 **Prayers with Paris.**

What can I tell you? Life has been a joy, filled to the brim with happy new memories with four wonderful turtles and a loving sensei and father.

Tonight can gladly be added to the growing list of moments. The cool breeze kisses my face as I leap from rooftop to rooftop, Leonardo chasing after me.

"Come on, slow poke," I shout back to him. "You're supposed to be a ninja! Move your turtle butt."

"Oh, you're going to get it now," he calls back. I laugh as I turn my head over my shoulder, watching Leo as he follows behind me trying to catch up. By the time that I land on the nearest rooftop, Leo has his arms around my waist and has me spinning around as we land on the smooth concrete surface.

"Got ya," he chuckles behind me, placing a light, quick kiss on my cheeks.

"Okay, lovebirds. Either get a room or stop being so affectionate," Raph states as he, Don, and Mikey catch up to us.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Raphael. Here, why don't we even it out," I teasingly state, then plant a quick kiss on his cheek. He looks stunned and his cheeks turn a bright red against the green of his skin.

I walk back over to Leo and loop my arm through his, gently placing my hand on his bicep as he rests his on top of mine. He gives me a warm, affectionate look as I smile up at him.

It felt good to be my normal self. I liked my turtle body, but it wasn't me. I appreciated that Leo didn't care what I looked like. He still always beamed at me no matter what.

"So, what do you guys wanna do tonight," I ask, turning back to the boys.

"We could get pizza," Mikey enthusiastically replies.

"Sounds good," Leo says. "Maybe we could try and catch up with Casey and April before we head back."

We head off to the nearest pizza place; a little run down store that barely got any service and run by an old friend of my family. He's a quiet, middle aged man with a thinning silver hairline and bifocals always firmly planted on the bridge on his nose. He knows a lot about my family, even some of our deepest secrets, but his loyalty is unquestionable and he has always been someone we rely on.

We'd run low on safe places to find pizza a couple of weeks ago and the boys were slowly beginning to show signs of pepperoni withdrawal, Mike especially. I had told them of the little place and insisted it was well worth the effort. The four of them had expressed their hesitation, but I quickly assured them not to worry.

We had gone that first time, the guys keeping to the shadows until I gave the okay. I went inside, told Michael – the owner – I had brought friends. I gave them the okay, brought them in, and he treated them as he would me, a sense that he had known them all his life. It barely even fazed him that they were mutant turtles. I mean, he'd already known I was an animal shapeshifter.

He even gained the pleasure of meeting Leonardo. Michael lightly joked with him, saying as how Leo better have learned fast how wonderful a girlfriend he had. Leo replied calmly the he did, earning Michael's respect and a blush across my cheeks.

There had many moments after Leo and I had started dating that I had wished my family had been here to meet him, the other turtles, and Master Splinter. I'm almost positive that, once they got past the whole giant mutant turtles and rat thing, they would have loved all of them as their own family.

Tonight, we head to Michael's for a few minutes, get our pepperoni and Canadian bacon pizzas, and then head over to April and Casey's to relax for a while before we had to head home.

Around midnight, we finally arrived back at the sewers. We walked in the lair, checked on Master Splinter, and then made our way to our respectful beddings.

As per routine, I went to each room after saying goodnight to Sensei and said goodnight to my baby brothers.

Mikey was fast asleep when I got to his, the covers haphazardly strewn about the bed and his mouth already hanging open, a light snore filling my ears. I kissed his forehead, a silent goodnight, pulled the covers up over him, then headed off to say goodnight to Don.

When I strode into Donatello's room, he was occupying his computer chair, trying to finish up the work he'd started on a few hours before we'd left.

"Donatello," I address, "you going to bed soon?"

"As soon as I get this done, I promise," he replies, not moving from his position at the console.

"All right," I say. "Don't stay up as long as you did last night. We've got practice in the morning."

"I know," he replies. "I'll be getting to bed soon."

"Okay. Goodnight," I say, placing a kiss on his head and then heading out of the room to go to Raphael's.

"Goodnight," he says, still enthralled with the desktop.

As I enter Raphael's room, the only light comes from the small desk lamp on a table close to his hammock. As I look over at my younger brother, he's lying in his hammock with his foot on the wall slightly swinging his bed from side to side, his hands behind his head as he stares up at the darkly painted ceiling above.

"The ceiling's that interesting, huh," I ask as I strode into the dimly lit room.

"No," he replies. "I'm just thinking, that's all."

"Might one inquire what about," I ask, walking over beside his hammock, looking at him as he thought.

He looked over at me, giving me a struggled look, almost as though he were debating whether or not to dispel his secrets to his sister or continue to keep his thoughts to himself.

"About you," he replied.

"About me? Why," I asked him. Of all the things for Raph to think of…

"Just how you've helped us," he said. "You take of Don and Mikey when me and Leo can't. You've made Leo happier than I've seen him in a long time and Master Splinter sees you as his own. And you're someone I can talk to…"

I looked at him puzzlingly. I was happy I'd become a safe haven for Raphael when his anger and inner pain became too much for him to bear on his own. I knew he couldn't, or wouldn't, admit such feelings to his brothers, so I had become a constant when he needed that comfort.

"That's what I'm here for, sweetheart," I replied. "And I'm not going anywhere anytime soon either."

He gave me a soft, small smile; a rare treasure I never took for granted when it came from Raphael.

I leaned down and kissed his forehead, a hand lightly placed on his plastron, rubbing my thumb against the tan surface of his protection. I stood up straight once again.

"Goodnight, Raphael," I gently told him.

"Goodnight, Mei," he replied, his hand having taken the one I had on his plastron, giving it a light squeeze.

He let go of my hand and I walked to the door. I turned around again, gave him a quick smile, which he gladly returned, closed the door, and made my way to see Leonardo.

Leo was sitting on his futon, cross-legged, reading as I opened the door and entered his room, his own desk lamp cascading it in a warm, soft light. He got up upon my arrival, setting the book face down on the page he was at.

"Hi there," I said as he came over and wrapped his arms around my waist, my arms going around his neck.

"Hi yourself," he replied. "The guys asleep?"

"Mikey is, Raph's getting there, and Don's still working on something before he goes to bed." To that he gave me a bit of a concerned look. He knew Donatello had been tired this morning from lack of sleep due to his latest project.

"Don't worry. He'll be in bed before long. He promised me that, at least," I said, looking up into Leo's chocolate eyes.

"Well good. Now you need to get to bed. You look tired," he said.

"I am," I replied. "But I've gotta go take a shower and then I can head off. You need to be getting to bed yourself, mister. Who said they were gonna lead practice tomorrow? Hmm?"

"I know, I know. I'll only be up a while longer."

"Good. Goodnight, baby."

"Goodnight, my beautiful Mei."

I gave him a quick kiss then headed off to take a shower before I could hit the hay.

I grabbed a towel and wash cloth from the closet in my room and headed to the bathroom on the farthest right hand side of the hall.

I shed the clothes that I had worn for our trip topside, stepping into the running, steaming water. I closed the shower curtain and felt the warm water begin to wash away the sweat and grime.

I began to think of how blessed I'd become in so short a time; I had a wonderful, handsome boyfriend, three amazing baby brothers, and a father that loved me no matter what.

I felt more at home and loved than I had in years and the empty, alone feeling that had been there was slowly dissipating to a shallow throb.

About five minutes later, I shut off the water and grabbed the towel sitting on that toilet seat. I stepped out, drying my legs so as to not get so much water on the floor and continued drying off the rest of my body before getting out.

However, a few moments later, I was caught dead in my tracks as I heard the bathroom door beginning to open. I turned around and, unfortunately, was greeted by the face of Raphael. Why hadn't I locked the freaking door?!

We both stared at one another, our cheeks no doubt taking on a whole new shade of red. I quickly cleared my head of my stupor and pulled Raph inside the bathroom, shutting the door as quickly as possible behind me.

"What're you doing still awake," I asked, trying to keep my voice at a whisper so I wouldn't alert Leonardo.

"I had to use the bathroom. What're you doing in a towel," he asked.

"I was taking a shower, shell for brains!"

"What? You couldn't take one in the morning?"

"With the way you guys hog hot water?"

"Good point."

I sighed. Now, I know that just willingly pulling your baby brother into the bathroom with you isn't the most kosher of things, but if I had left him at the door, Leo would have either found us or we'd forever be stuck in an awkward position with one another, thus again alerting Leo's suspicions.

I looked up at Raphael's face one again, but it was no longer directed towards me; it was directed towards the mirror.

"Raph? Raphael," I asked. "What's wrong?"

Before he gave me an answer, he turned me around so that my back faced him and looked at the tops of the scars, one on each side running parallel to my spine.

"Who did this to you?"

His voice barely above a whisper and I couldn't catch it the first time.

"What," I asked.

"Who did this to you," he said a bit louder, grounding out the words through his teeth. "Was it Hun?"

"No," I tried to interject, "It –"

"Was it Stockman? It was Stockman, wasn't it? I'll kill hi-"

"Raphael, stop," I firmly told him, trying to get him to calm down and not overreact. "It wasn't Hun or Stockman." I sighed. "It was the Shredder."


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey again, guys! Like I said, you're getting two chapters for the price of one today. After this one, it may be a bit longer before I update again because I have to write the next few chapters. I want to be sure I know where I want this story to go before I just start writing a bunch of stuff. But this one will be wonderful because you get to learn a bit more about Mei's past and how she's dealt with things the past few years. I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **To WOLF JADE28: Thank you, honey! I'm glad you're enjoying and been looking forward to another chapter. I hope you enjoy this one just as much! Thanks again and God Bless, sweetie!**

 **To Princess Bunny: No, her powers aren't affected by DNA like when she kissed Leo. It wasn't because she was kissing a turtle that she changed. It's was just kind of like an acceptance thing, more subconscious than caused by touching Leo. I hope that made sense. Thank you again!**

"W-what?"

Raph could barely get the small word out. It sounded more like a choke rather than a question. I watched as he tried to keep his teeth separate so he wouldn't grit them together and his fists clenched so tight, I was afraid he'd draw blood.

"W-when? How? Where?"

I sighed. I'd known this day would soon come, far sooner than I had hoped it would. I'd disillusioned myself into thinking that I'd be able to get as close as I have with the five of them and still keep my secrets as close to the chest as I had for so long. I couldn't possibly have gotten any stupider than I already was. And now, one of my younger brothers was learning, rather unexpectedly, what I'd endured in the years before I'd even laid eyes on the turtles.

"Raphael," I breathed, "let me get changed and I'll explain everything, I promise. For now, go wait in your room for me and I'll be there as soon as I'm done."

"Mei…"

"Raph, please. Do as I say. Please. That's all I ask."

He looked at me, a bit disbelieving, and, after a moment, nodded. I could still tell he was wary and a bit worried about what I might say, but, for now, this was the only option I had.

He gave me one last look then turned and headed for the door. He opened it, looked around the hallway to see if we'd woken anyone, and then headed to his right off to his room.

If it hadn't been for the edge of the bathtub being behind me, I'm sure I would have fallen with the pressure that had begun to settle in my stomach. There was the moment of truth, staring me in the face like a ghost come to haunt me…and this time, I couldn't escape.

I finally gained the strength to change into my pajamas for the night, throw my clothes and towel, into the hamper, and go to Raphael's room, ready to face my baby brother.

When I got to his door, I knocked and waited for a reply from inside. I heard his gruff Brooklyn accent say, "Come in," and I turned the cool metal knob, allowing myself in. The lamp from earlier was still on and Raph had resumed his spot on his hammock, but now, he was sitting up, his legs hanging over the side, his hands in his lap, and he was staring down at the carpet floor of his room. He didn't even look up at me as I entered.

I shut the door behind me then treaded over to the hammock and took a spot beside him. I glanced over at him, wondering what he would think when I finally told him, what he would say.

"Raphael, I can't change my past, but I can tell you, I wouldn't change all that's happened because it brought me to the five of you. Just hear me out, okay?"

He continued to stare at the floor then gave me a slight nod, indicating I continue my story.

I guessed the beginning was the best place to start, if any…

"Five years ago, I lived with my mom and dad in upstate in New York. They were scientists, geneticists who studied human DNA. Nothing major, just the assembly, deterioration, and growth of genes. We lived a pretty quiet life. I went to school studying art, and, in my spare time, took martial arts at a dojo only a block from my house. I enjoyed doing what I did and spending time investing in the things I love. But, I came home one night after practice at the dojo and my parents weren't home yet. Usually, by the time I'm done, they're home and mom is fixing supper while Dad read the paper or looked through a new genetics magazine. But that night, it was quiet and they weren't there. Everything in the house was clean and in its right order but when I went to their home office, papers were everywhere and all the drawers had been thrown open. The intruders had been looking for something. To this day, I'm still not sure what. I have a few ideas but nothing concrete.

"Next thing I knew, chloroform was filling my nose and I blacked out. I woke up to a light in my eyes and wires connected to my body.

"I spent weeks in that hellhole. They injected me with so many DNA combinations, I'm surprised it didn't kill me. But I honed my skills when they left me alone in the cage they kept me in. I continued training with the martial arts I retained. I wasn't able to put it to good use till the last day I was there.

"The Shredder came to see how his minions' handiwork was coming along. All I really remember was finally breaking out, getting past every guard that came at me, and barely getting away once the Shredder had gotten a good chunk of my back.

"I just ran and ran until I couldn't anymore. There wasn't anyone I could turn to, not with what I'd become or putting them in danger.

"I found that if I stay in water for a while, my wounds heal quickly compared to if I stay on dry land. I disguised myself as a turtle as I healed and hoped I didn't draw too much attention to myself for the time being.

"I've still yet to find my parents. I'm not even sure they're alive, but…"

I was stopped. A spark of confusion and shock ran through my system. I looked down as best I could to Raphael's head on my shoulder and his strong arms wrapped around me.

"Raph," I asked. "Raph, what's the matter?"

He was beginning to worry me. Raph never acted like this. He was usually pretty resilient to stories or situations like mine.

"I'm – I'm sorry."

I was puzzled. "Why are you sorry? It wasn't your fault."

"That's not what I mean," he interjected. I could hear the grit in his teeth and the anger in his voice. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'm sorry the Shredder did that to ya. I promise, none of us will ever let that happen to you again."

"Raphael…"

This turtle never ceased to amaze me, none of them did. They were always caring about me and making sure I was okay. They kept telling me how they loved me when we went to bed and how things had changed since I'd come here. It made my heart swell and I couldn't describe the feeling they elicited in me.

"Thank you, Raphael."

I don't know how long we stayed there or when we'd dozed off. All I knew was that I woke up the next morning and Raphael's arm was still draped around me…

 **All right, guys. That's going to have to be it for just a bit. I've got a Basic Design project I've got to work on and school and practice sometime this week. I hoped you enjoyed this last chapter. I'm sorry if a part of me is totally BSing this. I tend to do that sometimes. I'm sorry. But let me know what you think and we'll go from there. Wasn't that so sweet?!**


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